Brit + Co

14 Vegan Rice and Noodle Bowls for Meatless Monday Brit + Co Bowl meals are *still* in vogue in the food world, and it's no wonder. Not only are they tasty, but they're filled with heaps of vegetables, making them a smart lunch or dinner choice. You can get creative and throw a mix of anything in these bowls ...

Read more:

14 Vegan Rice and Noodle Bowls for Meatless Monday - Brit + Co

The health and fitness field offers many career opportunities. Individuals interested in helping others maintain their physical well-being may pursue degree and certification programs in their field of interest. Read on to learn about what it takes to work in the health and fitness industry.

If you're interested in the physical well-being of yourself and others, you may consider an education in health and fitness. Degree and certification programs are available in fields such as nutrition, athletic training, physical therapy or fitness.This training can lead to careers as nutritionists, fitness trainers, personal trainers, aerobics instructors or coaches, among others. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), individuals in this field must be outgoing, in good health, organized, have good communication skills and be able to motivate others (www.bls.gov). To further explore education and professional options in health and fitness, take a look at the following Study.com articles.

Depending on your interest, you can undertake a certificate, associate's, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree program. Your coursework may include human anatomy and physiology, business concepts, exercise principles, personal fitness, nutrition and fitness planning. Visit the links below to get additional information on degree options in health and fitness.

Distance learning programs are available at many levels of study within health and fitness. Some courses and programs available online include fitness instructor, exercise and holistic wellness. Below are some options.

If you're interested in improving public nutrition standards, helping people get fit after an injury or just improving a person's overall wellness, a career in health and fitness may be right for you. These jobs include athletic trainer, physical therapy assistant and nutritionist.

Some careers require that you obtain a professional credential after completing a degree program. Obtaining certification or licensure is particularly important for athletic trainers and physical therapists. The following articles cover some of these credentialing options.

The BLS stated the overall employment of fitness trainers is expected to grow by 13% between 2012 and 2022, which is comparable to the national average of 11% for all occupations. Recreation workers should see a growth of 14%, athletic trainers 19% and nutritionists 21%. The anticipated growth is due to aging populations and to an increased emphasis on fitness in society.

As of May 2013, fitness trainers earned a mean annual salary of $37,790, while recreation workers earned $25,560. Athletic trainers made $44,720 a year on average, while nutritionists averaged $56,300 annually, according to the BLS.

Read more

Read more from the original source:
Health and Fitness - Study.com

I have become a huge fan of memes (photos or cartoons with funny or inspirational sayings). You can find them for just about any subject just by typing a topic into Google and hitting enter. For todays column, I typed in funny memes about not exercising. Here are a few of the funnier ones:

Oh so you have no time to work out today? Tell me how many hours you spent on Facebook?

Exercise? I thought you said extra fries?

Oh youre not going to exercise today? That sounds effective.

Recently, I was with my friend, Deborah, doing some business and told her I had to be finished in time to get to my CrossFit class. Her response was that she wished she could get back into it again. What? So far as I know she still has a membership, the gym is in the same place and her car is fully operational. So what is the problem?

Despite our best intentions, many times we fall off the fitness wagon. An injury, job or life change such as a marriage, move or the birth of a child are just some of the reasons we might put our sneakers away. Even though we tell ourselves it is just temporary until things settle down, many times we stay away much longer than planned. The more time passes, the less motivated we become. The thought of getting sore all over again or being slower or heavier than when our gym mates last saw us add another layer of resistance.

Before you get to the point of no return when it comes to your fitness routine, Prevention Magazine has some tips for keeping on track:

Make a date. If you promise a friend you will meet them for a walk or a run, chances are you will not skip. I make it a priority to meet my friends at 5 a.m. three days per week for walking just so they wont give me a hard time.

Pump more iron: As a mineral that helps convert food to energy, iron is essential. We need at least 18 mg of iron per day from foods such as lean meats, legumes and leafy green veggies. In addition, foods that are high in vitamin C will help the iron be absorbed.

Fuel up early: Eating the bulk of your calories in the earlier part of the day will help fuel exercise and keep your energy level high.

Make it fun: Mix up your exercise routine so you dont get bored. That is why I like CrossFit so much. Every day it is a different routine so I dont feel stagnant.

Pile on the rewards: Reward yourself for working out.If your goal is to work out three times per week and you do, get yourself a me gift. Just make sure that gift does not include chocolate syrup and sprinkles. For big milestones like a large weight loss or completing a race or competition, treat yourself to a trip or a spa day.

Create an exercise menu: Have a workout plan for all your rhythms. Tired from your day? Go walking. Stressed out? Go take a high energy class. Need some family time? Grab the kids and dog and head to the park.

By utilizing these tips, you can keep your fitness routine going despite whatever life throws at you. If you do find yourself out of the routine for an extended period of time, dont forget to come back. Your body and your soul will be better for it.

Kathy Hansen

Kathy Hansen has over 30 years of experience in the health and fitness field and hopes to see Deborah back at CrossFit after she reads this column. She can be reached via e-mail at hansen02@srmc.org

Follow this link:
Simple steps help you stay the fitness course - The Robesonian

As someone committed to aging as well as possible and helping others do the same, this is a perfect time to celebrate healthy aging. There are many aspects of aging that people decry as problems or issues, but there are many scientifically proven ways to avoid or minimize these factors.

And truly aging well is the goal of most people rather than the two other bleak alternatives of doing it poorly or not at all.

It is increasingly difficult to keep your body fat level down and your muscle tone up as you age and you are not alone. Middle age and prime time bring with it many physical changes that can lead to weight gain in the form of fat increase and muscle loss (sarcopenia).

One of the ways to offset these changes is to increase the amount of quality protein that you consume. Studies have indicated that adults from the age of 50 to 85 years of age who consume 30-45 grams of protein in each meal develop increased muscle mass and strength and reduce their body fat.

This flies in the face of the vision of many older people who simply have tea and toast or some other convenient junk food for their meals that doesnt provide the protein that they require. I advocate good quality protein shakes for those who want a convenient, good-tasting, economically affordable protein source.

Another dietary consideration for older people is adequate fiber intake. The recommended intake is 25 grams of fiber a day for women and 38 grams a day for men. Studies indicate that adequate fiber intake helps improve satiety (feeling full) digestive health and regularity and also helps reduce belly fat. Most Americans fall far short of their daily fiber needs.

Another issue in aging well is to up your workouts to at least five days a week doing cardio such as walking or swimming, and also include a couple days per week of resistance training such as weight training or resistance bands workouts.

These are recommendations from the World Health Organization as a minimum. Newer research has indicated that upping the intensity of your workouts is associated with longer telomere length slowing the rate of aging at a cellular level.

Of course, increasing your resistance training has many side benefits besides helping you stay youthful. You will get stronger, increase your balance, and you will increase your resting metabolism and therefore burn more calories all the time, which means you can eat more without gaining fat. These factors increase the likelihood that you will be able to live independently and more fully longer into your life.

Quality sleep is essential at all ages and should be a priority for physical, mental and emotional health. Lacking as little as one hours sleep consistently is associated with weight gain and poor general health.

Also important for emotional and mental health is socialization and a positive outlook.

People who enjoy a good laugh and being with other positive, emotionally healthy people live longer, better lives. Good nutrition, a consistent comprehensive exercise program, and good quality sleep all contribute to a feeling of well-being that supports a positive engaging outlook.

To hear and see more about Healthy Aging Month, tune into channel 54 (Hoike) in the month of September to my TV program on Community Camera at 6 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. every weekday to hear Kathy and Randie Peters, local healthy aging Isa-body Finalists, discuss with me their proven strategies for aging well. A hui hou!

Dr. Jane Riley, EdD., is a certified personal fitness trainer, nutritional adviser and behavior change specialist. She can be reached at janerileyfitness@gmail.com, 212-8119 cell/text. ww.janerileyfitness.com

See the article here:
September is Healthy Aging Month - Thegardenisland.com

Dear Doctor: My son has started teething, and I'd like to ease his discomfort. I see that several homeopathic teething products have been recalled. Could they really be dangerous? If so, what are my options?

Dear Reader: It's six months into your baby's first year. Chances are, you've finally got a good parental rhythm going. Your sleep deficit is manageable, and your child is increasingly engaged in the world around him. Just as you're thinking that maybe you've got this parenting thing figured out, here come the joys of teething.

Babies enter the world with 20 primary teeth ready to emerge from their jawbones and through their gums. Six months is the average age at which that momentous first tooth makes its appearance, but it can happen anywhere between 3 and 12 months of age. And while plenty of babies breeze right through with minimal fuss, for others it's prime time for more than a little crankiness.

As the rough surface of the tooth advances, it can make the gums swell and ache. Some babies will drool freely, which can cause skin rash and irritations. And because Mother Nature apparently has a wry sense of humor, the process of tooth eruption that's when the tooth breaks through the gum tends to be more active at night. Say hello again to sleepless nights.

With multiple teething stages to deal with as lower and upper teeth, canines and molars emerge in the next two-plus years, parents want safe and effective ways to smooth (and soothe) this time of transition.

One remedy, available since the early 1900s, has been the herbal teething tablet. However, tests recently performed by the Food and Drug Administration on tablets by Hyland, a well-known maker of homeopathic products, revealed inconsistent amounts of belladonna, sometimes more than was listed on the label. Belladonna is an herbal ingredient with sedative effects that, in excessive quantities, can be toxic. Symptoms include lethargy, muscle weakness, constipation, excessive sleepiness, flushed skin, breathing difficulty and seizures.

The FDA asked Hyland to voluntarily recall its teething tablets and gels, which it did. The FDA has since also warned consumers that all homeopathic teething products may pose health risks for infants and children.

So how can you safely help your teething baby?

Although over-the-counter soothers like Orajel are an option, the American Academy of Pediatrics says that topical preparations wash away within minutes. For extreme discomfort, you may opt for an infant pain reliever. Always check with your pediatrician for proper dosage and duration of use.

After that, it's the age-old basics: pressure, massage, cold and cuddling.

Teething toys: Find an array of smooth, solid (not liquid-filled) toys for your baby to chew on. Rings are a nice option because they're easy for little hands to hold.

Massage: Use a clean finger and gentle pressure on baby's tender gums.

Ice: Freeze the toys for another element of pain relief. A wet washcloth, wrung out and then frozen, offers both cold and texture.

And don't forget the power of a soothing cuddle. Chances are that during the stress of teething time, the benefits will go both ways.

Do you have a great teething remedy to share? We'd love to hear from you!

Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA, 90095.

Excerpt from:
Tips on soothing your teething baby | Health and Fitness ... - Hanford Sentinel

Registration for this course is now closed.Click here to see our other courses!

NOTIFY ME

OF UPCOMING COURSES

We respect your privacy. Your information will never be sold, nor shared without your permission.

With Plant Medicine Pioneer David Crow, LAc

12-week Training Starts Thursday, August 3, 2017

In the modern West, weve been raised to think of plants as objects that exist chiefly for our pleasure and consumption. We use them to nourish our bodies and beautify our gardens and homes.

The truth is that plants are so much more than that. They are multi-dimensional, living beings with whom we have a sacred relationship that can help us evolve on many levels.

They can detoxify our bodies, purify our minds, rebalance our emotions, and reboot our energy. They can help us heal diseases and expand our vision.

They can also open up an entirely different relationship with the natural world.

As you learn to open to the deeper blessings of plants, you can receive more of their healing and medicinal powers and put yourself on a path to radiant health and even spiritual illumination.

Plants are actually conscious, sentient life forms connected in complex and mysterious ways to the health of our bodies and minds.

On the most basic level, the human race is dependent on plants just to survive. But they can also helps us truly thrive.

When we relate to plants with gratitude, humility and reverence, they can teach us a great deal about ourselves, our connection to each other and the art of living.

When combined with meditative practices and mindfulness, plants can serve as a foundation for a spiritual practice that transforms negative conditions and creates exciting new opportunities for manifesting our greater life purpose.

Ancient seers, mystics, and healers discovered many of these secret properties and passed down this knowledge in lineages such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine in the East and herbalism in the West.

Now you can harvest the best of these healing traditions, marry them with spiritual practice and create a new paradigm for your health and wholeness, in the 12-week Medicinal Plants & Spiritual Evolution 2.0.

The prospect of creating a new-paradigm relationship with plants can be intimidating. It could take a lifetime to study and master multiple disciplines from botany and medicine to sacred traditions and spiritual practices.

Rather than sifting through and distilling this endless array of information on your own, what if you could take a 3-month virtual journey with a master guide who has dedicated his life to exploring, classifying and documenting the practical, medical, psychological and spiritual powers of plants?

Such a guide can navigate you through the hype and misinformation common in this field. Science tends to view the esoteric healing lore of plants with skepticism, preferring the cold, clinical certainty of pharmaceutical drugs.

The major botanical medicine traditions, while infused with great wisdom, tend to have blind spots and knowledge gaps.

Floracopeia founder David Crow, LAc is one of todays greatest synthesizers of the vast knowledge contained within the plant kingdom. He not only has assimilated the research, he has spent decades immersed in the ancient healing arts.

David has journeyed deep into Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions and studied with masters the world over. This hard-earned wisdom and knowledge is now available to you in a powerful virtual format.

In Medicinal Plants & Spiritual Evolution 2.0, David has synthesized proven techniques, tips, and strategies for accessing the profound healing, restorative, medicinal and spiritual powers of plants, in 12 information-rich modules.

The course is labeled 2.0 because it builds upon and expands on Davids original Medicinal Plants & Spiritual Evolution program by adding a wealth of specific practices for detoxification, rejuvenation and manifestation. You do not need to have taken that program to receive the full benefit from this course.

Youll learn about the critical role plants play in the purification of the world and your body, as well as which medicinal plants protect against environmental toxicity. Youll discover how Ayurvedic, Tibetan and Chinese medicine use plants to detoxify the body and mind.

Youll understand why detoxification whether of environmental poisons or toxic addictions promotes health, happiness and fulfillment and contributes to individual and collective spiritual evolution.

Youll receive clear-cut instructions for combining medicinal plants with meditation practices, using illness, trauma, pain and addiction as a springboard for spiritual growth.

Youll gain knowledge about the ways plants can revitalize your body, mind and spirit and learn practical rejuvenation therapies that enhance cognitive function, longevity and spiritual development.

Youll also study the relationship between flowering plants and the health of the biosphere, and how GMOs affect the pranic intelligence of food plants, human health, and consciousness.

Youll be given specific strategies for obtaining high-quality nourishment in this age of food and chemical sensitivities and for using nutrient-rich plants to boost your immune system, overcome fatigue and slow aging.

The final modules comprise a master class in ecological spirituality. Youll see how medicinal plants can help you deepen your meditation practice, cultivate spiritual awareness and manifest your life purpose.

Youll discover that spiritual traditions are rooted in nature and that plants are the bridge between spirit and matter. And youll learn about the energetic intelligence of medicinal plants that supports your bodys healing intelligence.

Finally, youll discover the ancient and modern uses of visionary power plants, how to use aromatic plants and essential oils to calm, balance and uplift your entire being and how to apply the immunological and psychological benefits of sacred scents.

David will escort you across the threshold of an enthralling new world that empowers effective healing and nourishment of your body, mind and soul and those of your loved ones.

Youll never look at plants the same way, again. You will open to a whole new realm of allies and companions for your life.

When you choose take this journey with David, youll gain a profound understanding of medicinal plants that links biology, ecology and spirituality with a felt sense of connection with all of life.

There is perhaps no better guide for opening you to a new paradigm of relating to the plant kingdom than Floracopeia founder David Crow, who integrates wisdom from multiple streams of healing practices into a coherent and cohesive body of teachings.

For more than 30 years, hes pioneered a path that draws from strands as diverse as Ayurveda, Chinese medicine and essential oils to shift our perspective that plants are mechanistic objects to one in which we recognize and honor them as wise, sentient allies.

Youll receive a profound understanding of working with medicinal plants, food plants, flowers, mushrooms, aromatic ceremonial plants and essential oils as an entryway into understanding health, spirituality and true wellness.

David will balance high-level theoretical and spiritual insights alongside specific remedies and protocols you can immediately put into practice. Youll learn how to eat more healthfully and joyfully in a way that truly nourishes your body. Youll learn about specific therapeutic herbs, plant essences and oils that can rebuild your energy and clarify your focus.

You can envision this new relationship with the plant kingdom as growing new and deeper roots for a richer, fuller life. This strengthened root system allows you to weather metaphorical storms, droughts and other life challenges from health crises to aging to the loss of loved ones.

By seeking unity with the wisdom, healing power and, yes, consciousness within the plant kingdom, we awaken to new domains of knowledge. We view and relate to our bodies and lives and the earth itself in ways that enable us to become passionate advocates for individual and collective wellbeing and consciousness.

In every class, youll gain important information about medicinal plants that can enhance your physical and emotional wellbeing. Ultimately, youll see that each and every plant, herb and flower can open a pathway into a deeper relationship with your body, mind and soul and thus serve as a portal to spiritual awakening.

During this 12-week program, youll:

This program is appropriate for anyone intrigued by the healing and evolutionary benefits of botanical medicine as well as professionals in any discipline that work with herbs, plants, oils or energy.

Youll benefit from Davids more than 30 years of studying the healing powers of plants in various cultures with many gifted teachers from the shamanic traditions of the Amazon to the alchemical mysteries of the Himalayas and the ancient wisdom of Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine.

Course sessions are on Thursdays at 5:00pm Pacific.

In this 12-week transformational intensive, David will guide you through the fundamental skills and competencies to become attuned and aligned to your deeper biological interconnectedness with the plant kingdom. Youll develop a broader spiritual lens that will support a deconstruction of false notions about your relationship with plants, and youll learn how to work with energy, consciousness and healing in new ways.

Each weekly contemplation and training session will build harmoniously upon the last, so that youll develop a complete, holistic understanding of the practices, tools and principles of evolutionary healing with plants as you connect to the greater biological realities of creating a sustainable culture that supports all.

Please note that course lectures are pre-recorded followed by David leading LIVE Q&A sessions to address your questions directly.

Plants detoxify the biosphere of the earth; many medicinal plants are also highly effective for detoxifying the inner biosphere of the human body, something that pharmaceutical drugs cannot do.

As levels of environmental toxicity rise, associated health challenges are multiplying and increasing in seriousness, making the purifying powers of plants even more valuable and necessary. When used properly, medicinal plants can be highly effective for cleansing the body and mind of negative habits and physical addictions.

When combined with meditative practices and mindfulness, the use of these plants can become a spiritual practice that transforms negative conditions and creates new opportunities for manifesting our greater life purpose.

Module 1: Medicinal Plants & Purification (August 3)

Detoxification is an ongoing process in the human body supported by nutrients from food plants. Medicinal plants, when used wisely and according to the individual body type, season and health condition, can gently and safely support detoxification of the organs and tissues, just as plants cleanse the elements of the biosphere.

In this module, youll discover:

Module 2: Detoxification & Spiritual Evolution (August 10)

Detoxification, whether of environmental poisons or toxic addictions, has profound implications for our health, happiness and fulfillment and can play an important role in our individual and collective spiritual evolution.

In this module youll discover:

Module 3: Freedom & Fulfillment Pain & Spiritual Growth (August 17)

Pain and suffering are both a catalyst and an obstacle to spiritual evolution, and medicinal plants can be highly effective in not only treating illnesses and addictions, but also in transforming pain into a spiritual path.

In this module, youll discover:

Just as pharmaceutical drugs cannot remove toxicity in the body, they are incapable of replenishing the bodys nutrients and increasing vitality. Throughout time, plants that support mental functions, enhance memory and improve concentration have been regarded as having a unique and special place in the botanical pharmacopeia for nourishing spiritual development.

Module 4: Ojas & Rasa The Essences of Nutrition, Vitality & Spirituality (August 24)

Rasa is the vitality of plants concentrated in their juices, flavors and smells; Ojas is the refined nutritional essence of the body that supports immunity and vitality and gives happiness and contentment. Knowing how to use plants that are rich in Rasa to support Ojas is the basis of rejuvenation, which in turn is the foundation for long life and spiritual accomplishment.

In this module, youll discover:

Module 5: The Feast of Nectars Food Plants & Spirituality (August 31)

The foundation of the food chain is flowering plants. Agriculture, food plants and the quality of nutrition in a society are both causes and results of its level of collective consciousness, and therefore an opportunity to develop a deeper spiritual relationship with plants and the soil they come from.

In this module, youll discover:

Module 6: Rasayana Elixirs for Rejuvenation, Meditation & Longevity (September 7)

Classical medical systems such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine offer sophisticated, systematic approaches for rejuvenating the body and mind. Using nurturing therapies and medicinal plants rich in nutritive compounds, we can restore strong immunity, overcome fatigue, and increase the length, quality and enjoyment of life.

In this module, youll discover:

Spiritual traditions arose from our relationship to the cycles of nature and its powers; developing awareness of our intimate relationship with plants and the elements of the earth develops ecological spirituality, which is the basis for natural compassion and a collective effort to protect and restore the life-sustaining powers of the biosphere. Medicinal plants can support every type of meditation practice, as well become the focus of meditation, and are therefore agents that help us cultivate and actualize spiritual awareness and manifest our life purpose.

Module 7: Eco-spirituality Plants & the Manifestation of Spiritual Consciousness (September 14)

Spirituality, health and the wellbeing of the earth are intimately connected. Spiritual practices develop sensitivity, insight, empathy and other qualities that are necessary for ecological sustainability, which in turn provides the conditions for individuals and humanity to develop and manifest spiritual qualities.

In this module, youll discover:

Module 8: The Evolution of Light Into Consciousness (September 21)

Human life is dependent on sunlight photosynthesized by plants, and plants are dependent on the energies of the sun and moon. Understanding this biological dependency develops reverence and spiritual sensitivity toward plants and the elemental sources of life.

In this module youll discover:

Module 9: Botanical Prana Plants as Agents of Natures Self-organizing Intelligence (September 28)

By understanding the intelligence of medicinal plants and how this intelligence functions in the biosphere and human body, we can bring these plants into our lives to enhance our immunological, neurological and emotional intelligence, medically empower ourselves and support our spiritual evolution both individually and in communities.

In this module, youll discover:

Module 10: Soma Vision Plants for Wisdom & Transcendence (October 5)

Many plants are legendary for their abilities to produce visionary states, profound insights, and reveal transcendent realities. Because of their great power these plants can damage the body and mind if used improperly, but if used wisely they can be important allies for spiritual growth.

In this module, youll discover:

Module 11: The Perfumed Garden Aromatic Plants, Olfaction & Consciousness (October 12)

The olfactory system transmits the intelligence of botanical aromatic molecules directly to the brain. The link between the breath, the limbic system and the healing powers of plants provides us with a powerful, yet easily accessible tool to enhance meditation, concentration and memory, and to reinforce positive mental and emotional states.

In this session, youll discover:

Module 12: Wish-fulfilling Gems Ceremonial Plants for Removing Obstacles, Creating Synchronicity & Attracting Good Fortune (October 19)

Many plants have been used for millennia for their aromatic powers to uplift the mind, balance the emotions, enhance immunity and counteract pathogens, thereby removing various kinds of negativity, stimulating creativity, manifesting intentions and supporting spiritual evolution.

In this module, youll discover:

In addition to Davids transformative 12-week online training, youll receive these powerful training sessions and bonus materials. These bonuses are being offered to complement what youll learn in the course and deepen your understanding and practice.

Spiritual Beliefs & Practices in Indigenous Agriculture 3-hour Lecture and Guided Photo Journey With David Crow

Join us for an in-depth lecture and guided photo journey around the world and through time to discover and remember what may be one of the most crucial dimensions of our relationship with the natural world that has disappeared from modern life, at our own loss and peril. There is a vast and deep knowledge of plants that has been an integral part of human history and has left a rich legacy of art, song, myth and ethnobotanical wisdom. From the traditions of preparing the soil to methods of planting to the techniques of harvesting, spiritual beliefs and practices have been the basis of agriculture since humanity first began planting seeds.

In this bonus, youll discover:

Floracopeias Essential Oils Reference Guide A Full Color 24-page Ebook With Guidance on Using Essential Oils

This Essential Oils Reference Guide is a beneficial addition to your essential oils education. Learn how to use essential oils effectively in many different applications. Learn about the safety considerations when using essential oils. Learn about the uses and applications of 20 of the most popular essential oils.

How Medicinal Plants Work According to Ayurvedic Knowledge & Wisdom Audio Dialogue With Vasant Lad Hosted by David Crow

In this session from thePlant Medicine Summit 2016, Ayurvedic expert and physician Dr. Vasant Lad explains how Ayurveda has profound knowledge of the interaction of the world around us and how it contributes to health or disease.

View post:
Medicinal Plants & Spiritual Evolution 2.0 with David Crow ...

This is an article by Mark Kolsen. It appears in the current issue of American Atheist magazine, which is sold at Barnes & Noble, Book World, and Books-A-Million bookstores in the United States and at Chapters/Indigo bookstores in Canada. To find a store near you or to subscribe, go to atheists.org/magazine.

In November, ten minutes after walking into a hospital emergency room, I lay on a bed, completely surrounded by medical staff preparing me for a catheter. My left anterior descending artery (a.k.a. the widow maker) was completely blocked, and I needed a stent to restore my blood flow.

Just beyond the staff encircling me, I noticed a middle-aged man wearing a Hospital Chaplain sign. (And it was a sign, not a name tag or ID badge. It was about five by eight inches and held around his neck by a string.) When someone asked me about relatives, the hospital chaplain offered to call my first mate, and he was the one who took my clothes and valuables and assured me that they would be safe during my surgery. And just before I was carted off to the operating room, the chaplain asked, What denomination of clergy would you like me to call?

Somewhat surprised, I said that I was an Atheist.

You want to be an Atheist at a time like this? he replied.

Time like this? For a moment the question baffled me. Should I worry because its Friday afternoon, a reputedly bad time to check in to a hospital? Then I snapped to and realized that even though I didnt think that my life was in danger, the chaplain did. And if I were to die, well

Sorry, but I know the science, I responded with a smile. Thanks for your help, anyway. At that, the chaplain slithered away.

Later, as I reflected on my experience, two things struck me. First, the hospital chaplain never offered me non-religious options, such as the secular humanist chaplains now available in the U.S. military. Such options exist elsewhere. In Belgium, non-denominational institutions have a team of usually Catholic and atheist spiritual care givers. In 2015, Britains National Health Service mandated equal treatment of those without a religion in the receipt of pastoral care. Shortly thereafter, Jane Flint became the first secular humanist hospital chaplain in Great Britain. Her job is to offer emotional support to terminally ill atheist patients and their relatives. In the Netherlands, spiritual caregivers in hospitals comprise both humanist and non-aligned chaplains. And in Scotland, with policy guidance from the Scottish Humanist Association, chaplains are expected to work with different faiths and those of no faith.

Chaplains, after all, are not just for theists. There is widespread agreement that all people have spiritual, as opposed to religious, needs. In a recent article for the online journal Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine, Marcelo Saad and Roberta de Mediros define spirituality as the search for ultimate meaning, purpose, and significance in relation to oneself, family, others, community, nature and sacred, expressed through beliefs, values, traditions and practices. And regarding hospital patients, a recent white paper on ProfessionalChaplains.org states that while serious illness is a biological event, it frightens patients and isolates them from their support communities when they need them most. Losses such as physical and cognitive capacities, independence, work or family status, and emotional equilibrium, along with the accompanying grief, can seriously impact their sense of meaning, purpose and physical worth.

Recognizing that sick and terminal hospital patients especially have spiritual needs, the World Health Organization (WHO) International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems includes billing codes for diseases, signs and symptoms, abnormal findingsand for some spiritual interventions. Here in the U.S, Medicare and Medicaid have agreed to let hospitals claim reasonable costs for clinical pastoral education, and will pay for end-of-life conversations, during which terminal patients can articulate to their providers what kind of medical interventions they do or do not want.

However, unlike other nations, no hospital is required by law or accreditation fiat to provide pastoral care in the United States. And, in contrast to the WHO, the National Uniform Billing Committee has refused to provide billing codes for chaplains. Nevertheless, in 2003, the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations said hospitals should demonstrate respect for patient needs, including the need for pastoral care and other spiritual services. Hospitals appear to have responded. Although a 2008 study reported that only 59% of American hospitals had chaplains, a more recent study reported that 70% of community hospitals employ chaplains today.

Online, many hospitals advertise spiritual services. However, I found none that advertise non-religious i.e. secular humanist or Atheist chaplains. This is ironic for several reasons. In metro areas, fewer than half of hospital patients identify themselves as church members when admitted, hospitals serving primarily pediatric patients have a higher prevalence of religiously unaffiliated family members, and the number of non-religious millennials continues to grow.

Atheist chaplains do exist in a few hospitals. But rarely are they paid staff members, despite the fact that chaplains services cost very little, and many hospitals advertise their services for no charge. Recognizing the problem and seeking to increase employment opportunities for their members liberal theist organizations are training their own chaplains to care for Atheists. Acknowledging that hospitals do not usually hire humanist or Atheist chaplains, one veteran theist chaplain puts it bluntly: As the number of unaffiliated and nonreligious persons climb, [theist] chaplains become by default the primary spiritual care givers in a hospital community.

Not all medical groups are oblivious to Atheists needs. According to Toni Van Pelt, nursing home directors have approached the Institute of Science and Human Values for advice on how to meet the needs of their secular residents. Likewise, a recent joint commission report focused on the language, racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity of hospital populations. Cultural diversity, the report points out, includes religious preferences. As non-religious patients increase in number, hospitals must start to recognize that Atheists need staff who share their beliefs.

Theist chaplains, well-meaning as they may be, do not meet Atheists needs. Dr. Jason Heap, who has filed suit seeking to become the first humanist chaplain in the military, has trained other humanist chaplains. He says, If the chaplain with whom you are confiding offers theistic-based reflections or prayers to your existential questions, what practical value does this have in your situation?

Stephanie Wernek, an Atheist hospital chaplain in Rio Grande Valley, points out she has met many people under the age of forty who were adamant non-theists. Even in this deeply theistic part of the country, there exist many people who feel silenced and atomized by their lack of affiliation with a religious group that believes in a deity.

Vanessa Gomez Brake, Director of the Chaplaincy Institute, says, a need for atheist chaplains exists [A]t its core, chaplaincy is about taking the sacred out of the church, mosque, synagogue and temple, to bring it to the people, whatever their circumstances.

In addition to not being offered an Atheist chaplain, my hospital experience raised another issue. Why, I wondered, was a chaplain mingling with the medical team attending to me? I had not requested his presence; like many other people, I felt no need for a chaplain. In fact, upon reflection, his lurking around my body, and his overhearing my conversation with the medical team, was an intrusion into my privacy.

I am not the first to ask this question. As more hospitals employ chaplains, their precise role, especially their access to patient information, is now a subject of contentious debate. Chaplains, supported by some academics, argue that they provide a range of services, making them part of the medical team. Many also reject the assertion of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) that health care does not include methods of healing that are solely spiritual and that practitioners that provide solely religious healing services are not health care providers.

This debate is not just about semantics or chaplains searching for employment. Under the DHS Privacy Rule, chaplains access to patient records without a patients permission depends on whether the hospital considers them medical providers and some do. Without your consent, chaplains considered medical providers could access information about your general condition, spiritual affiliation, and anything else related to your medical history or treatment. In short, they could know as much as your doctor would about you.

Encouraged by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, which is the main accrediting agency for chaplaincy in the U.S., hospital chaplains are already stepping beyond their bounds. Some chaplains and chaplaincy programs have begun to engage in activities that have ranged from initiating conversations with and perusing the medical records of patients who have not requested their services to suggesting that, because they are chaplains, they be permitted to do spiritual assessments on patients whether or not the patients are explicitly informed and agree to this beforehand. In some hospitals, especially religiously affiliated ones, a chaplain functions as a full member of the healing team.

As a result, some academics and doctors are sounding an alarm. Pointing to the fact that members of healthcare teams are not equal in education, experience, and status, Roberta and Erich Loewy state that hospital chaplains are not considered healthcare professionals either in fact or in principle and, arguably, not even allied healthcare professionals. Rather, they are considered an ancillary part of the healthcare team that is generally classified under the further, functional descriptor, patient support services.

The Loewys argue convincingly, in my view that while hospital chaplains may serve some critical functions in the healthcare of patients, it is a breach of confidentiality to allow a chaplain access to a patients medical records unless the patient is fully informed, understands the implications of such access, and either wholeheartedly acquiesces or initiates such a request. Otherwise, chaplains and doctors may have access to information, including conversations, which patients assumed to be private and confidential.

Moreover, the Loewys believe that chaplains should encounter patients only if patients request their presence because the unsolicited appearance of a chaplain may range from innocuous simply embarrassing or uncomfortable to intrusive or even threatening. As I think back to my ER experience, their words resonate.

The proper role of hospital chaplains will continue to be debated. Right now, Atheists need to be aware that, like me, you may unexpectedly face chaplains after entering a hospital, especially at your most vulnerable moments. These individuals are likely to be theists. If a hospital considers them to be healthcare professionals, they may have access to a lot of information youd rather not share.

Mark Kolsen recently retired from teaching high school in Wheaton, Illinois. He is an avid fan of the Four Horsemen, the late Victor Stenger, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. He strives to understand all facets of scientific cosmology and evolutionary biology.

[Hemants note: All footnotes and citations for this article can be found in the print edition.]

(Image via Shutterstock)

Read the original:
Atheist Hospital Chaplains: The Time Has Come - Patheos (blog)

After more than 30 years of managing the Willow Creek Hatchery in Edmonds, the local chapter of Trout Unlimited has decided to turn over its stewardship.

Edmonds Parks and Recreation Director Carrie Hite confirmed that Sound Salmon Solutions, a nonprofit organization and regional leader in salmon conservation, has agreed to take over management of the hatchery operations and expand educational programming and outreach activities.

Also operating on site is the volunteer-run Wildlife Habitat Native Plant Demonstration Garden run by the Pilchuck Audubon Society.

Our feeling is that rather than taking it over, we are carrying on the work that Trout Unlimited has done for the past 30-plus years, said Executive Director Rodney Pond of Lake Stevens-based Sound Salmon Solutions, a nonprofit working to ensure the future of healthy salmon runs in the Snohomish, Stillaguamish and Island county watersheds.

The nonprofit has a picnic at Willow Creek Hatchery Aug. 26.

We will be transitioning the current group of volunteers running the hatchery; they will continue to do so. Were going to take over operations and development of the hatchery. They want to see programs at the hatchery grown and built upon.

A professional services agreement was signed in February to cover staff time for training and grant writing, and Sound Salmon Solutions staff has been working closely with Trout Unlimited with the goal of fully taking over operations at the facility in 2018.

Weve been doing 10-year leases with Trout Unlimited, Hite said. In 2014, we sat down with them and looked at their goals and their operations. They said they didnt have an interest in another 10-year lease; they said they were all getting old, the job was very physically demanding and they thought they were at the end of their life at the fish hatchery.

Trout Unlimited agreed to stay on until a successor was found.

They are a large, energetic group that will be able to continue the work we began nearly 30 years ago, said John Hjord, a past president of Trout Unlimited.

Hatchery manager Walter Thompson agreed.

Theyll do the nuts and bolts of the operation, said the Edmonds resident, 73. The volunteers where will continue on, but Sound Salmon Solutions is a younger group much more comfortable with social media, that sort of thing, and recruiting volunteers.

"Our membership is getting very old, and its difficult to get people to come on board and volunteer time for these kind of activities. Weve turned a corner, and our vision is more of an educational outreach program to the local school districts as opposed to focusing on salmon enhancement programs.

Hite said she and her staff did plenty of research of hatcheries before agreeing on Sound Salmon Solutions.

There are two schools of thought if the hatcheries are helpful or not, she said. After the research, we decided we thought the hatchery would be helpful from an educational point of view. So our No. 1 priority is to continue salmon education by running the hatchery. And who better than Sound Salmon Solutions to take it over?

That education includes hundreds of Edmonds and Shoreline elementary school students who have participated in Willow Creek Hatchery and Edmonds Fishing Pier field trips. Today, the Edmonds-Woodway High School group Students Saving Salmon meets at the hatcherys main building.

To be clear, the city of Edmonds owns the hatchery, but does not provide money, resources or staff to run it. Throughout the years, Trout Unlimited has provided volunteer labor and paid for utilities there.

The city, which provided a $1,500 grant to help Sound Salmon Solutions work with Trout Unlimited on the transition, it will charge Sound Salmon Solutions $1 per year for its lease.

Founded in 1974

The Edmonds/Laebugten Salmon Chapter of Trout Unlimited is affiliated with the Washington Council of Trout Unlimited. It was founded in 1974 by 17 concerned sport fishermen in response to diminishing salmon available to recreational fishermen.

Since 1979, the chapter has sponsored a Coho salmon net pen-rearing project under the Edmonds Fishing Pier. It has been on hold since the piers rehabilitation in March 2016, and Sound Salmon Solutions is not interested in continuing its operation.

Thompson said he is seeing if Puget Sound Anglers, a conservation group, is willing to take over the project.

After years of fundraising and contributions, the Trout Unlimited chapter built the Willow Creek Hatchery and Aquatic Education Center in 1985. It is one of the largest privately maintained and volunteer operated hatcheries in the state.

Under the supervision of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, it has raised and planted an average of 100,000 salmon each year.

Sound Salmon Solutions

Ponds organization is familiar with Edmonds streams and wetlands.

In November 2016, thanks to the Rose Foundations Puget Sound Mitigation and Restoration, it provided a grant to Students Saving Salmon and Stream Team student groups.

It enabled students to continue water-quality testing at Willow, Shell and Shellabarger creeks in Edmonds, as well as at the Edmonds Marsh.

At the Willow Creek Hatchery, at Pine Street and State Route 104, Sound Salmon Solutions will work on writing grants and securing donations while recruiting new volunteers to work alongside Trout Unlimited members.

Edmonds Trout is unusual in terms of other Trout Unlimited chapters in that its always had a salmon focus, Pond said. Its a bunch of old white guys who arent recruiting new members. It would have been a shame if the hatchery were mothballed after all these years.

My understanding is that those guys are still very much invested in volunteering for the hatchery, and we are absolutely going to need them. I know some of those guys. Its just part of their life. Theyre retired, they love raising the fish, love working with the kids. Its a home away from home for them.

Ironically, while Trout Unlimited is all about salmon education and raising salmon, Pond said Trout Unlimiteds national stance is more or less against hatcheries.

It focuses on wild-fish populations, with a position that supports healthy wild fish population, Pond said. We agree its healthy all around for the species. We need diversity thats wild, thats subject to natural evolutionary forces and the changing of the environment.

However, salmon are very different. Its absolutely essential to the sustenance and spiritual lives of our local tribes. Theres a big investment to keep these hatcheries running. If we didnt have hatcheries, we wouldnt have salmon. Wed have salmon, but there would be so few of them here in Puget Sound.

Pond pointed out an incongruity: Hatcheries do muddy up the genetics of wild populations. Its basically running semi-domesticated species into the same environment as wild species. Its like running domestic goats with wild goats. Its going to bring down the genetics of the wild salmon population.

With that in mind, its pertinent to point out that Willow Creek Hatchery which used to be called Deer Creek Hatchery for reasons that remain murky has never been strictly a production hatchery.

Its been for educating kids about the salmon lifecycle, salmon release and getting them interested in the watershed and the environment. It contributes very little to salmon that return, if any at all.

Pond said details of the stewardship succession of the hatchery will be worked out in a meeting next month.

Were thrilled to be doing this, he said. This place is an Edmonds institution.Theres been so much community involvement going on. Theres generations of people. Adults bring their kids and grandparents bring their grandchildren.

I dont see any reason to change, just add to it. Our ambition is build a more comprehensive education center, and the hatchery will be part of that.

Original post:
New group to run Willow Creek Hatchery - Edmonds Beacon

It also seems like everybody can be appropriate to that. And they can do it very quickly without working out. You will find out the reason why I put this product in my list of the best over the counter diet pills that work fast without exercise in subsequent parts.

Not only can PhenQ reduce your weight by burning fat but it also can enhance your mood. It sounds a little funny, doesnt it? I had the same feeling when I first read its effects. However, it does make more sense when you understand its principle, which is called under an affectedly pretty name: Emotional Eating. It means that you use food to fill craters in your soul rather than to make your stomach full. And that is extremely easy for anybody to get obesity.

Therefore, PhenQ was produced and capable to stop that by making you feel more optimistic. Not many diet pills can do that and that is why I put it in this list of the best weight loss pills that work fast without exercises. My sister, Barbara, used to take advantage of PhenQ when she was diagnosed to have obesity and depression after giving birth. And those supplements helped her a lot. I witnessed her change from physical to mental condition, which was so magically.

She lost over 70 pounds and recovered from depression within only 5 months. That was the highest speed I had ever known. All thanked to PhenQ burning the fat, preventing it from producing more, and enhancing both of her mood and energy.

It uses Capsimax Powder instead of Capsaicin, as in Phen375, to increase your body heat. That is a composition of piperine, caffeine, niacin, and capsicum. It contains active thermogenesis, which is responsible for burning more calories.

Moreover, the calcium carbonate will maintain the healthy fat and give you energy when your weight is reducing. Also, you will feel very cheery and your bones will be a lot more enduring than before.

And finally, chromium picolinate is the main ingredient that will reduce the amount of sugar, calories, and prevent them from producing too much. It can be found in various foods, such as vegetables, meat, or wholegrain. With the content that PhenQ has, you wont have to worry about gaining weight ever again.

See the rest here:
Diet Pills That Work Fast Without Exercise - Lose Weight ...

Demi Lovato is all about that fit life. The superfit singer recently launched her #Demi4Fabletics activewear collection, and she took a few minutes to talk with POPSUGAR about her health journey, her routine, and how she uses fitness to take care of her mind, body, and soul.

Demi originally started her fitness routine because she wasn't feeling her best. "I was tired of feeling lethargic and not taking care of my body," she told POPSUGAR. "I decided to change that, so I got a trainer and I started working out." It was a snowball effect from there she now works out over six hours a week, eats exceptionally clean, and feels significantly better than before.

She uses healthy living as a form of self-care and loves what her lifestyle has done for her everyday happiness. "I believe [self-care] is like a pyramid," she said. "There are three things that you need to feel great. There's physical fitness, nutrition, and mental health."

"I think it's important to take care of yourself emotionally and physically, but mainly emotionally, because if you're not taking care of yourself emotionally, your mind can go to dark places. It's important to learn to love yourself for who you are, and accept yourself," she said.

Sundays might be a rest day for Demi, but she's going hard on the other six days a week.

"I work out six days a week and I take Sundays off," she said. "Several days I'll do an hour of cardio, and several days a week I'll do an hour of strength training. On top of that, some days during the week I'll work out for two hours where I'll do an hour of cardio and an hour of MMA, or I'll do an hour of strength training and an hour of MMA but I don't do that every day!"

Demi noted that recently, she started adding more cardio to her routine, and she feels fantastic for it. "I feel like my stamina is up and I'm able to have longer, more rounds when I box and things like that."

But of all the ways she works out, she said, "My favorite workout is ju-jitsu. I love training ju-jitsu. When you're rolling with somebody, you're constantly thinking of defending or attacking moves, so it's kind of meditative in a way, but it's also a great workout when you're training when you're really moving around with somebody."

"I don't eat anything if it doesn't grow or if it doesn't walk," she said, emphasizing her draw to natural, whole foods and a squeaky clean diet. "No processed foods, and not really any refined sugar or flour, but I sometimes treat myself!"

The treats in question? Chocolate and cashews. "I like cashew butter anything with cashews! Cashew milk . . . [and] dark chocolate is really helpful when you have a sweet tooth. I don't eat out at restaurants; I have a nutritionist chef full time so I eat at my house and on the road."

The "Demi uniform" for the gym has three parts and she likes an extra layer to intensify the sweat for each of her workouts. "It's a pair of leggings, sports bra, and a zip-up jacket so I sweat a little more," she said (you'll see a lot of these combos in the Fabletics collection).

We asked what her favorite piece is from the new collection with Fabletics; spoiler, it's the pants in the photo above (Fabletics Jordana Legging, $140). "I love the [legging] with the elastic band around the waist I think it's super chic and sexy." Ditto.

"My favorite part about fitness is the way you feel afterwards," Demi told POPSUGAR. She's noticed a drastic change in her mood and mental health since starting her healthy regimen, so it makes sense that she'd want to keep going.

But even with the best motivation, it can still be challenging to get yourself out of bed for a workout. "Seventy-five percent of the challenge is getting to the gym," she said. "Putting your clothes on, tying your shoes, getting to the gym . . . but once you're there, it's a lot easier."

Here's her advice: "Put on your clothes, do what you gotta do to get there, have some pre-workout or drink coffee . . . whatever it is! And when you're finally at the gym, you owe it to yourself to take care of your body. If you're feeling sluggish or like you don't want to work out, just remember what good it's going to do for your body and how great you're going to feel afterward."

Image Source: Fabletics

See the rest here:
The Secret Behind Demi Lovato's Confidence and Happiness? This Routine - POPSUGAR